Petco announces end to sale of Chinese-made jerky treats; FDA says 1,000 dogs have died from them

Petco announced Tuesday that it will no longer sell dog and cat jerky treats made in China, according to a story from The Oregonian.

According to the Food and Drug Administration, the treats have been linked to illness and death in thousands of pets in America. The latest announcement by the FDA says that more than 1,000 dogs had died from eating the treats.

Petco announced that by the end of the year they will no longer sell the treats. The company has sales of $30 million a year in jerky treats produced in China.

According to the story, Petco will replace the treats with products manufactured in the United States and other countries considered to be safe.

"This isn't a business decision," said John Sturm, Petco's vice president of merchandising for food and treats. "Jerky has been one of our fastest-growing categories. Despite the publicity from the FDA, it has continued to grow, year over year."

Petco said customers have been asking the company to remove the treats from shelves.

The FDA has been investigating the connection between the jerky and illnesses and death in pets for nearly seven years.